The calendar made a huge splash. There were over 14,000 calendars sold in three months with $300,466.53 being raised for the local charity.

NLBMC is back with more dudeoir, more mermen, more scenic landscapes and a new charity. The Violence Prevention Newfoundland and Labrador will be the main recipient of the funds raised through the 2019 MerB'ys calendar. The government initiative seeks to find long-term solutions to protect vulnerable groups who are at risk of violence. The NLBMC are also hoping the calendar will open conversations and help breakdown male stereotypes.

Read on to see the burly mermen photos and to learn more about the concept behind the calendar.

The NLBMC founder and President Hasan Hai told A Plus last year that he was inspired to try a MerB'ys theme after seeing a friend's post on Facebook. The dudeoir photo was of a burly, bearded guy wearing a merman suit.

"I'm a big fan of projects which push the boundaries of my comfort zone and throw my dignity out the window for a good cause!" he told A Plus in November 2017. "There is something so vulnerable and whimsical about this theme, which has the added benefit of challenging stereotypical views on masculinity."

This year, Hai told us why he is continuing with the theme. "The province of Newfoundland & Labrador has a very strong connection to the ocean, through traditional fishing as well as in our rich folklore," he stated. "The concept of merfolk is generally seen as very feminine so it is a wonderful pairing with men showing a softer, more whimsical take on masculinity."

He added, "It doesn't hurt that people in our province have fallen in love with the idea of the MerB'ys — so it was a no brainer that we'd stick with tails this year."

It's a concept that also makes sense considering the splash the 2018 calendar made. "We're still reeling from it (fishing jokes never get old)," Hai said. "It was a complete shock to us! We had originally hoped to sell a few hundred calendars, raise a few thousand dollars, and possibly get on the local news. It was so validating to know that our little calendar had such a global reach!"

The 2018 MerB'ys calendar went viral across the world with news outlets covering it in places as far as Mexico, Japan and Australia.

Hal says last year's theme was inspired by his attendance at the grand opening of the Spirit Horse "Hope Arena" where he heard the founder, Erin Gallant, speak about mental illness.

"I was so moved that when the idea of creating the calendar came to me a few days later, it was a no brainer to do it for Spirit Horse - Stable life," he recalls.

This year, the NLBMC held an open application for charities in Newfoundland & Labrador. "Our project team reviewed the dozens [of applications] that came in to pick one that best aligned with our core values as an organization," he explained. "Violence Prevention - Newfoundland and Labrador (VPNL) checked all the boxes for us. Particularly the importance of breaking down harmful male stereotypes and engaging men in a very meaningful way as part of violence prevention."

"I'm not exaggerating when I say there were tears in many eyes as we sat together reviewing this application!"

When it came time to shoot the calendar, the group went on a road trip across the province for seven days in a van they dubbed the "MerMob'ile." They did 13 photoshoots which were the result of collaborations between various team members including art director Courtney, craft director Clare, photographers and models.

"Some of it was pre-planned, while the rest was just whatever felt 'right' the day of the shoot," Hai stated. "The beauty of this experience is that everyone involved was so engaged, that everyone had ideas to bring forward!"

"Everyone was very relaxed, laughing, and really embraced the joyful, loving spirit of it."

The models featured were chosen based on personalities and energy during the shoot day. "We had no idea ahead of time what shots would be our final ones, but you could hear a gasp as that final, perfect shot was taken and we knew we had it," Hai recalls.

The resulting photos show a different side of the men. And they capture the natural beauty of the club's province by showing the burly men posing in their mermaid tails in various locations. One photo shows a trio at the bar with pints in hand. Another photo shows a merman on a waterfall wearing a floral crown. The cover photo features a group of burly mermen posing in front of a lighthouse.

The photos aren't the only lasting thing about the photoshoot. Many bonds were formed. According to Hai, "Every shoot ended with new friendships made — and a lot of very emotional admissions from models and other participants as to why this project was so important to them, personally."

It's this sort of sentiment that the group hopes people take away from the calendar. "The ongoing theme of this calendar is that men are capable of being so much more than what we allow ourselves to be," Hai concluded. "Men can be affectionate with one another, embrace their feelings, dress however they like, and radiate all the joy and love that happens to be inside of us. Being 'a man' doesn't fit in any one narrow and dated definition."